Gospel Freedom in Galatians
Background: What was the key issue in the early church? Race. Culture. Issues that are still with us today. The church at its inception on Pentecost was essentially 100% Jewish and the Apostles and the church in Jerusalem seemed content to keep it that way. Then God called a Pharisee named Saul to salvation and set him aside as an Apostle to the Gentiles. Over the next 30 years, the church became primarily Gentile with a Jewish minority, and many Jews fought it.
Galatians was Paul's first letter, written at the end of his first missionary journey when Gentiles began to come to Christ in droves. A group, sometimes called Judaizers and sometimes the circumcision party, opposed the inclusion of Gentiles in the church. If they were to be part of the church, they needed to become Jewish - follow the law and Jewish rituals. Paul fought them tooth and nail his entire ministry. The gospel was for the whole world.
Galatians is a powerful argument for a gospel free from the works of the law.
As often as time allows, the reader is encouraged to read the entire book - it will not take more than a few minutes. Each day we will work our way through the book passage by passage.
Today's Reading: Galatians 1-6 Focus Passage - Galatians 3:7-9
You know, then, that those who have faith, these are Abraham’s sons. 8 Now the Scripture saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and proclaimed the gospel ahead of time to Abraham, saying, All the nations will be blessed through you. 9 Consequently, those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, who had faith.
Through the Bible Readings: Ezekiel 9-10, 1 Timothy 5:1–6:2, Psalm 119:97–104, Proverbs 26:22–24
If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.
Devotional: Our Greatest Failure
I was always a quick learner in most things. It was not unusual for me to have the highest grades in my classes. I was proficient in foreign languages - on a 2-week mission trip to Honduras I developed the ability to converse with the kids around us. No, I wasn't fluent but I was getting there. I've always been a good speller. Still, there are some lessons I've had trouble learning, some words I've had a hard time getting. Fortunately, now, we have spell check and I am able to rely on it. I had trouble remembering if I doubled letters when adding an "ing." I struggled with the "i before e" thing - I've always wanted to spell weird and wierd. There are a few words I could just never get right.
There is one lesson that God's people, both Israel in the Old Testament and the church in the New Testament struggled to learn. We still struggle with this lesson today. It is referenced in verse 8. When God called Abraham, in Genesis 12:2 God says to Abram, "I will bless you." Israel reveled in that part. As the Chosen People, they enjoyed status and privilege in God's eyes and in this world. We, as the church, are the redeemed of Christ and there are great choices that attach to that.
There are also great responsibilities that come with being God's people. In Genesis 12:2, the God who promised to bless Abram's descendants also said, "you will be a blessing." Israel was not meant to simply receive God's favor but be a channel of blessing to the world. They failed miserably at that. The church was given a Great Commission to go into all the world and make disciples. The Apostles took seriously the call of God to make disciples in Jerusalem, but there is little evidence that they had a heart for the ends of the earth. The persecution under that fella Saul of Tarsus dispersed the disciples of Christ but according to Acts 11:19, they still only preached Christ to other Jews. It took a vision from God to get Peter to even talk to a Gentile. Finally, God saved Saul and made him the Apostle to the Gentiles (Christian history's greatest irony).
I remember a question that was asked by a church member after we went on a mission trip to reach people in another country. "Why do we go to country XYZ when there are still lost people here at home?" The attitude of the Israelites and the church of Jerusalem still prevails. Me first. The attitude that God prefers me and mine more than them and theirs.
We must understand that we are saved to serve. We are called to Christ so that we can become part of his mission to the world. Our faith is not just about privilege but also about ministry.
Father in heaven, use me in your plan to redeem a people for yourself and to make them like Jesus Christ.
Think and Pray:
Are you devoted to God's purpose in redeeming a people in this world?
Is your attitude like that of Israel and the Jerusalem church (focused internally) or do you have a worldwide focus?
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